Kilbrittain 3-26
Ballinascarthy 1-10
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
KILBRITTAIN hurlers are heading back to the junior A ranks with a pep in their step.
Superly coordinated all over the park while taking their scoring chances with aplomb, it was all too easy for Kilbrittain’s second string as they brushed aside the spirited, but weak challenge of Ballinascarthy at Timoleague on Saturday.
This lopsided RCM Tarmacadam Carbery Junior B Hurling Championship decider never rose above the realms of mediocrity, as the Black and Amber, clear favourites for the title, justified the tag to romp to an easy victory.
Indeed, this classy Kilbrittain outfit will feel quite at home in the A grade as following this victory they will compete at the higher level in 2025.
From outstanding shot-stopper Eoin McCarthy to dapper corner forward Keith Hunt, it was hard to find a weak link in the Seasiders chain that saw them best served in defence by veteran John Murphy at full back, captain Kevin O’Neill and the experienced Ivan Burke.
Around the middle third Seamus O’Sullivan and Paudie Brennan held sway while up in the engine room Luke Griffin, Eamon Lyons and Conor Hogan stroked the attacking flames of endeavour to good effect. An indication of the strength of their panel was evidenced when Oisín Gillian and Patrick O’Mahony, two of the substitutes who came off the bench, contributed six cracking points between them.
In marked contrast, Ballinascarthy, who were competitive to the very end, struggled to stay in contention. The silken hurling skills of the Seasiders attacking sextet presented problems that saw their defence often stretched to the limit. Eamonn O’Flynn had a fine hour between the posts, bringing off a string of superb saves. The two pivots, Gearóid O’Leary and Ryan O’Flynn, grafted hard while midfielder and captain David Walsh and Eoin O’Driscoll showed some neat touches. Cian Hennessy performed admirably as leader of the attack and was top scorer with 1-5, while his goal was a beauty, rifling the ball home with power and precision.
Ciarán Deasy had a positive sojourn from start to finish and got one brilliant point from an acute angle, while Donnagh O’Driscoll, Timmy Lucey, Colm O’Donovan and Cathal Nyhan put their shoulders to the wheel in the Reds cause, often for little reward on the scoreboard.
Kilbrittain captain Kevin O'Neill receives the cup from Carbery GAA's David Whyte.
Kilbrittain signalled their early intentions with two superb points by the outstanding Eamonn Lyons. After ten minutes the Reds trailed by 0-7 to 0-2, a fine free by Cian Hennessy and a delightful point by Ciarán Deasy two positives as the loser’s attack was getting little change up front.
A plethora of points by Eamonn Lyons, Conor Hogan, Luke Griffin, Pat O’Mahony, Paudie Brennan, Seamus O’Sullivan and James O’Donovan saw the Kilbrittain forwards extend their advantage to a commanding 0-13 to 0-6 by the 23rd minute.
Bal were defending to good effect but the sallies of the dynamic Conor Hogan saw him almost in, only last-ditch defending foiling his efforts. But constant dripping wears a stone – following a scintillating solo dash Hogan crashed the ball home from close range. Suddenly, a mountain was now an Everest for beleaguered Bal, 1-14 to 0-7 adrift at the break.
Ironically, their best patch of positive hurling came almost immediately on resuming. Substitute Oisín Gillian made an immediate impact and together with a proactive Paudie Brennan they got two more on the board. However, a rare Bal incursion saw Eoin McCarthy make a fantastic save to deny Cathal Nyhan, but in the follow-up sequence of action Cian Hennessy powered home an unstoppable free to billow the Black and Amber rigging.
Almost from the puckout it took an equally good save by Eamonn O’Flynn to deny Eamonn Lyons. But it was only a temporary reprieve as soon normal service was restored. A flurry of points augmented by two brilliantly taken goals from Hogan and Lyons signalled lights out for never-say-die Bal, Kilbrittain past the winning post with furlongs to spare.
Kilbrittain selector John Burke felt that the effort his squad all season had put in deserved to be rewarded and they got it in abundance with this long overdue win.
Kilbrittain's Pat O'Mahony in action in the Carbery final.
‘We knew all year we had a very strong squad, and our fear today was that we might be complacent coming into the game. This is the strongest bunch we have had for a number of years; we had some minors also who could not play with our top team, they were a huge advantage,’ Burke explained.
‘We started last February with this bunch. They have put in a huge commitment in strength and conditioning in training, it worked all the year and came to fruition today. We now look forward to the county this weekend. It will be a tough challenge, Aghabullogue or Newmarket. However, I feel we are ready to have a real crack at it,’ added an upbeat Burke.
Our Star: A case of being spoiled for choice with several of the Kilbrittain team in the frame. But goals win games and two brilliant efforts by Conor Hogan, who finished with 2-2, extinguished any faint hopes Ballinascarthy had of making it a bit closer. He takes the gong, a fine performance of quality hurling and supreme marksmanship.
Scorers
Kilbrittain: Eamonn Lyons 1-8 (7f); Conor Hogan 2-2; Oisín Gillain 0-4; Luke Griffin, Pat O’Mahony 0-3 each; Patrick O’Mahony, Paudie Brennan 0-2 each; Seamus O’Sullivan, James O’Donovan 0-1 each.
Ballinascarthy: Cian Hennessy 1-5 (f); Ciarán Deasy 0-2; Colm O’Donovan, Timmy Lucey, David Walsh 0-1 each.
Kilbrittain: Eoin McCarthy; Mikolaj Kalitka, John Murphy, Kevin O’Neill; Ivan Burke, James O’Donovan, Fionn Ustianowski; Seamus O’Sullivan, Paudie Brennan; Luke Griffin, Eamonn Lyons, Pat O’Mahony; Conor Hogan, Cian O’Leary, Keith Hunt.
Subs: Oisín Gillian for Cian O’Leary (inj, 23); James Ahern for Fionn Ustianowski (46), Patrick O’Mahony for Pat O’Mahony (51), Aaron Fehily for Conor Hogan (55), Ciarán Byrne for Keith Hunt (56).
Ballinascarthy: Eamonn O’Flynn; Keith Nyhan, Gearóid O’Leary, Cormac McCarthy; James Lynam, Ryan O’Flynn, Colm O’Donovan; David Walsh, Eoin O’Driscoll; Donnagh O’Driscoll, Cian Hennessy, Tadhg O’Neill; Ciarán Deasy, Cathal Nyhan, Timmy Lucey.
Subs: Kevin O’Neill, Seán Walsh, Eoin MacMeninion (all second half).
Referee: Mick O’Leary (Diarmuid Ó Mathúna).
